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3 Tampa Craft Store Employees Charged With Embezzlement
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Published: May 16, 2008
TAMPA - Police say they have arrested three employees of a craft store for creating false returns and pocketing the cash, according to an incident log.
On Thursday, Tampa police charged Melania A. Wright, 31, Kimberly M. Reed, 24, and Julia J. Soto, 25, all of Tampa, with embezzlement. Each was released from Orient Road Jail after posting $2,000 bail, records show.
A company representative for Pearl Crafts, at 3614 W. Hillsborough Ave., contacted police after an internal investigation uncovered suspicious transactions by the three women, police said.
Sales receipts indicate Wright voided 92 transactions from July 12 through April 28 totaling $3,260.55, police said. She was confronted by company officials, who said she admitted to the scheme and told them Reid and Soto had been doing the same thing, police said.
A review of Reid's records indicates she voided 43 transactions from Sept. 8 through April 23 totaling $1,656.11, and Soto's records show she voided 61 transactions from Nov. 5 through April 26 totaling $1,900.18, police said.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( crumbsnatcher23 ) on May 16, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
OK she almost did twice as much as the others
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Posted by ( Ryan_Levi_Lesswick ) on May 16, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I wonder if there is a big underground mrket for craft supplies? I'm curious to see if this will spur a comeback in Puffy Paint shirts in the Mexican community.
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Posted by ( Come_on ) on May 16, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Melania A. Wright is a RAT! Why throw the other women under the bus? Put on your big girl panties and fend for yourself!
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Posted by ( RadioHitz ) on May 16, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Snitches get stitches.
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Posted by ( Right_On ) on May 16, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
no loyality among theves LOL
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Posted by ( Nilam02 ) on May 16, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
obviously not dealing with professionals here.... only 3260.00? over 9 months?
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Posted by ( Longball ) on May 16, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Melania, you've got some splain to do!
Okay let the puns begin: "Not to crafty of a scheme huh girls"
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Posted by ( WellWater ) on May 16, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
OK Longball:
This doesnt top the Witch CRAFT substitute teacher story.................
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Posted by ( Sharona ) on May 16, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yeah, Mel - if you are goin' down, make sure you take your co-workers with you. Did they seriously not think they would get caught? Like these 20-something women can outsmart anyone.....
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Posted by ( MsDrtMover ) on May 16, 2008 at 1:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Think she could probably just say she hit the wrong key.....92 times? Nope, don't think that would work. How about being addicted to the "void" button?
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Posted by ( Longball ) on May 16, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
While she is in jail make sure to keep track of the popsicle sticks. She could make a ladder and use it to get over the razor wire.
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Posted by ( itsme813 ) on May 16, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
How stupid can these 3 be??
It's a small craft store did they really think that the higher up's wouldnt notice $6800 in sudden returns over a few months????
Come on... Even something like Michaels doesnt have that many returns in that time.
Book em!
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Posted by ( acuratl96 ) on May 16, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Teddy Bear, You mean like CHUCKY!
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Posted by ( IAmMcLovin ) on May 16, 2008 at 5:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Ha! I remember 2 of their faces! I go in there to shop all of the time. Maybe they pocketed some of my money too! ;)
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Posted by ( BaseballMom73 ) on May 16, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh boy...Geniuses at work. How many carts of craft supplies total that much?
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Posted by ( BBro ) on May 16, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Craft co-workers got the Shaft
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Posted by ( CanofWhoopAss ) on May 16, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Can someone explain exactly what they did? Voided receipts???
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Posted by ( gatorjo ) on May 16, 2008 at 10:59 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
In answer to "CanofWhoopAss" -(Even that is a scarry topic), the trio ran up bogus sales, then proceeded to return the articles for a cash return and pocketed the cash. In our retail store, all cash returns are handled in the customer service area - they are the only personnel allowed to hand cash back to a customer.
Who would risk their reputation and future job prospects by stealing. Their families have to be so proud of them. If you have cash or a credit card with the store, you can own anything in that store, as long as you work every day to pay for it. Why complicate life; it can be so easy and enjoyable without a cloud over your looser head.
Just a few thoughts.
Jacksonville, Fl
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Posted by ( trustmeimadoktor ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:31 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
you go girl/s.....directly to jail........there excuse...they were making so much money off of us, we deserved it
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Posted by ( timer714 ) on May 17, 2008 at 1:04 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I don't know what your problem is guys... they went to the same business school as Wesley Snipes.
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Posted by ( tparich ) on May 17, 2008 at 2:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Criminals never think they will get caught.
Posters are writing about "returns". Are we reading the same article? It says they "voided" transactions.
Make the sale, take the money, void the transaction, put money in pocket.
Simple. Simply stupid.
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Posted by ( tparich ) on May 17, 2008 at 2:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Arrest records show...
Melania A. Wright: Unemployed
Julia J. Soto: Unemployed
Kimberly Reed: Employed by Pearl Crafts
Does Ms Reed think she still has a job there?
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Posted by ( bnav ) on May 17, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Take them out back and use a hot glue gun on them
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Posted by ( Once_At_Pearl ) on May 17, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I must say, Karma is a BEAUTIFUL thing! I worked at Pearl once and I have to say the three of them were the worst people I have ever worked with. No work ethic, rude, and just generally bad people. I am not surprised and I certainly don't feel sorry for them! They deserve every ounce of this! HA!
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Posted by ( xenuownstbo_com ) on May 17, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
You realize now they will get out of jail and go on the welfare market. We as upstanding citizens cannot win.
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Posted by ( stopTHEinsanity77 ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
xenuownstbo... you are 100% right. This is the appalling truth. There should be a no assistance rule for people who are arrested for job related crimes, hence why they are fired.
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Posted by ( flickering_light_of_reason ) on May 17, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
They would have done better if they stole some makeup. Them some ugly mugs.
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Posted by ( slydevil ) on May 18, 2008 at 12:36 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Imagine how much they could have gotten from micheals craft stores ... there must be a small fortune in wicker baskets and paint and other @#$%. Cant we move them out to Polk Co.?
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